Trim pieces and trim assemblies for machines have long been known. Fender flares, edge protectors and a wide variety of other trim types are well known and widely used. In some instances, trim is coupled with a machine body when the machine is assembled. Alternatively, certain types of trim are available as optional or substitute components. Manufacturers commonly design trim which is specific to certain machine configurations, the designs of which may be relatively complex. To accommodate packaging constraints and the like for trim having relatively complex, three-dimensional shapes, it is common for trim to be formed from a plurality of separate components.
Trim is commonly intended to serve both ornamental and functional purposes. Depending upon intended service environment, fender flares or fender extensions of various configurations may be used on a machine to inhibit splashing of water and debris onto other parts of the machine, and to protect the machine from damage. A variety of types of trim for fenders have been developed over the years for mounting to machines used in relatively rugged service environments. While these types of trim have proven quite useful in their functional aspects, they may become unsightly due to sub-optimal manufacturing or mounting techniques, and the service environment itself. Providing a pleasing appearance to the machine remains a common goal.
As alluded to above, machine trim is often formed from multiple components. These components are typically fitted together on a machine body to follow an existing contour of the machine, such as a fender. Since contours of the machine body may be relatively complex, the use of multiple different components, typically formed of plastic, enables the relatively complex contour to be matched by multiple components of simpler design. This tends to be easier than attempting to mold one large component in the relatively complex shape necessary to match the contour of the machine body. One drawback to using multiple components is the difficulty in getting the components to properly align and/or properly mate together when assembled and mounted on the machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,644 to Logan et al. is directed to a low-profile modular fender flare. The fender flare includes plural contour pieces which are sized to accommodate packaging of the fender flare in a container of conventional size. The contour pieces are configured for attachment to the vehicle body, each piece being configured for attachment adjacent a particular portion of a vehicle wheel opening. The concerns of Logan et al. appear primarily to have been fitting a relatively long piece into a relatively small, inexpensive package. While the design of Logan et al. appears to have been successful in this regard, the fender flare components may suffer from the aforementioned problems with regard to proper alignment and mating.